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The Lowell 100 – 1918 – 2018

Celebrating 100
years of service to
immigrants in Lowell

A Century of service
In 2018, the International Institute of New England marked a century of service to the city of Lowell. Since our founding in 1918, the International Institute has resettled thousands of refugees, reunified families, taught English, placed immigrants in jobs throughout the region, provided support as they navigated a complex immigration system, and ensured new Lowellians could thrive in every sector: academic, commercial, cultural, and civic life.

This work has been possible because the city of Lowell has embraced newcomers: through wars, through the Great Depression, through global waves of immigration and resettlement, and through changing federal policy. In turn, immigrants have been an integral part of the city’s growth and identity.

International Institute for Young Women

The Pillars of Our Past

Founded in 1918 as part of the YWCA, the International Institute of Lowell’s early mission was to help immigrant girls and women integrate into their new community.

Initial programs included domestic classes, such as dancing, cooking, and sewing, as well as English classes and a variety of clubs. By 1930, the focus shifted to providing more comprehensive services to the broader immigrant community, paving the path to the International Institute of New England’s mission today – to help refugees and immigrants from around the world realize their dreams through humanitarian relief, English language classes, employment support, skills training, and immigration legal services. 

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1/5From War-Torn Lands to New Beginnings

The International Institute of Lowell has supported various migration crises throughout its history. During World War II, it offered Red Cross training and immigration assistance. After the war, it resettled refugees from Europe and the Soviet Union. The 1953 Refugee Relief Act increased arrivals from China and Eastern Asia, followed by efforts for those fleeing the Azores and Cuba in the 1960s. In the late 20th century, it welcomed refugees from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, the Balkans, Central America, and Asia, as well as newcomers from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Iraq. In 2011, it merged with the institutes of Manchester and Boston to form the International Institute of New England.

2/5Navigating New Horizons

Since its founding, legal and citizenship services have been a cornerstone of the International Institute of Lowell. In its first 20 years, the organization significantly assisted with naturalization applications, helping 81 clients in 1930 and increasing to 528 by 1939. These efforts established the Institute as a key source of legal information, aiding in family reunifications and immigration paperwork. Since its 2018 relaunch, IINE’s Legal Immigration Forms Service has supported over 200 Lowell, Boston, and Manchester clients in navigating complex immigration processes.

navigating new horizons

3/5Empowering Voices Through Education

Since 1918, the International Institute of Lowell has offered English classes, starting with 16 courses and 187 students. In the 1930s, it expanded to include foreign languages like Russian, Italian, and Arabic. The focus shifted to nursing during World War II before returning to English. In the 1950s and 1960s, the International Institute offered conversation and Speech Correction, as well as German, Portuguese, Armenian, and Spanish classes. Today, IINE provides extensive English instruction for refugees and immigrants and offers a Certified Nursing Assistant training program to address the demand for skilled healthcare workers.

4/5Building Futures Together

Annually, our organization serves nearly 2,000 refugees, asylees, and immigrants across three locations: Boston and Lowell, MA, and Manchester, NH. We believe that every immigrant and refugee is an investment in our country and communities. We aim to equip them with the skills and tools needed to achieve their dreams and contribute to New England’s growth.

Building Futures Together at IINE

IINE currently supports

  • REFUGEES
    Individuals fleeing persecution, war, or violence.

  • LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME IMMIGRANTS
    Those needing assistance with legal status, English skills, and living-wage jobs.

  • UNACCOMPANIED MINORS
    Central American children seeking family reunification in the U.S.

  • ASYLEES
    Individuals who obtain refugee-like status through U.S. courts.

  • CUBAN/HATIAN ENTRANTS
    Persons from Haiti and Cuba with special protected status.

  • VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
    Individuals coerced into labor or commercial sex.

  • SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA HOLDERS
    Individuals and families who assisted the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.

 

5/5Honoring The Lowell 100

In celebration of our centennial, IINE invited the greater Lowell community to participate in recognizing 100 remarkable leaders from Lowell’s immigrant population who have made significant contributions in their respective fields, as well as locally-born residents who have championed immigrant causes and supported immigrant issues.

The International Institute of New England has thrived for over a century because of the people we honored with the Lowell 100, and many more like them. Their support, hard work, and creativity drive immigrant communities like Lowell to regenerate, renew, and return that generosity to every generation.

The International Institute of New England is honored to partner with others in Lowell to make this a city that embraces people from around the world, and we look forward to growing and strengthening our extraordinary partnership over the next 100 years.

honoring the Lowell 100

    We are tied together in the world today, for good or bad. If something happens in Poland, in Greece, we get a large repercussion here. The ‘one-world’ idea is nothing new to International Institute policy, for we’ve always felt that the more understanding we have of people, the better for all of us.

    – Clementina DeRocco, Director of the International Institute of Lowell from 1947 – 1959
    HONORING THE LOWELL 100
    More than 600 people gathered at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on May 1, 2018,  to mark the centennial of the International Institute of New England and to recognize the enduring legacy of immigrants and refugees in the Lowell community.

    As part of the centennial celebration, IINE invited the greater Lowell community to help identify 100 of the most admirable leaders from Lowell’s immigrant community who have made achievements in their fields, as well as locally-born Lowellians who have supported immigrants and immigrant issues.

    Guest speakers included Massachusetts State Rep. Rady Mom, and Lowell City Manager, Eileen Donaghue. UMass Lowell professor Robert Forrant spoke about the history of IINE in Lowell, and about the research that went into sourcing the Lowell 100 honorees.

    You can learn more about the event and read about each of the 100 honorees in our excerpt from the Lowell 100 program.